The Ultimate Escape: A Pilot’s Dream Getaway

Photos Julie Lalonde

It took several years for airline pilot Ian Rothwell to formulate the ideas for his ultimate home theater. However, once he collaborated with longtime friend Mark Imbesi of Trymark Enterprises, it only took eight months for them to complete that vision.

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“This room is an escape where I can chill with friends, just relax and watch a movie or TV,” says Rothwell. “I can even get in a workout while catching up on missed episodes of my favorite shows when I’m away on multi-day international trips.”

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After all the tear-down, new construction, and integration of the room’s furnishings, which include Berkline Home Theatre seats plus a Berkline Zero Gravity massage chair, Rothwell was ready to start purchasing equipment. It was then he began collaborating with John Mossop of the Audio Center and installer Jonathon Hunter to assess making his current home automation system more efficient for his needs.

Mossop and Hunter recommended a Crestron Adagio system, as it was a good fit for Rothwell’s lifestyle. The team used an Insteon IR link to integrate the Crestron system with the Insteon system. It took another three months to install all the home theater equipment, wholehouse audio, and home automation system.

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The centerpiece of the theater and the first thing you notice as you enter the room is the giant 120-inch 2.35:1 Stewart GrayHawk Reference screen that is paired with a Panasonic PT-AE4000U projector.

All the A/V equipment is housed in a Middle Atlantic 19-inch rack mount with rear access for easy troubleshooting and re-wiring in the closet. A Lexicon MC-12 V5 surround processor is the heart of this 7.1 sound system with additional gear from Carver, Definitive Technology, Infinity, and Klipsch.

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While he had a lot of help, Rothwell was hands-on through the entire project, selecting materials, colors, and furnishings. As a personal touch, a map on the wall shows all the places he has flown.

Contact: Trymark Enterprises, (613) 324-3333, www3.sympatico.ca/mimbesi; Jonathan Hunter, (613) 299-9062

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